Brilliance

Brilliance

By Madelynn

"I," proclaimed James Potter to no one in particular, after completing a rather astonishing piece of magic, "am brilliant."

He heard a snort of laughter behind him, and spun around to find Lily Evans immersed in her own work.

"Miss Evans?"

She looked up with a bored look, as though talking to The Brilliant James Potter was a chore. "Mr Potter?"

"Did you find something about my statement amusing?"

She paused. "Yes," she said simply, and dipped her quill back into the inkpot before her.

James spun around on his stool and, having placed his elbows on her desk, proceeded to place his head in his hands and watch her write. "What was so amusing, might I ask?"

"Your arrogance," she stated, not even looking up.

He almost laughed. Ah yes, his arrogance. It was usually followed by his selfishness, his conceit, and his blatant disregard for the feelings of those around his - namely, hers. If there was something wrong with him, chances were Lily Evans knew it.

"That all?"

"For today," she said, and he could have sworn a smile flitted across her face as she focussed on whatever it was she was writing.

"So," he continued, deciding that he wanted to see more of that smile, "you don't think I'm a genius? You have to admit, that was some exceptional wand work."

She shrugged. "I suppose. But everyone is brilliant once and a while. A real genius has their bouts of brilliance closer together."

"Like who?" he asked in astonishment. "You?"

"I wish," was her reply, and she finally looked up with a smile. "You don't think I'm a genius?"

James shrugged, and tried to imitate the face she had made at him a few moments ago. "Sometimes."

"When," she prompted, tapping his foot with her own under the desk.

He pretended to think. "Well, there was the time that you found that passage that got us away from Kettlebu - oh wait, that was me. What about the time you - never mind, me again. Hm. Well Lily, I'm sure you've done something brilliant." He made a face at her and he kicked him again. But smiled.

"I must have done something brilliant in all the time you've known me," she reasoned.

James grinned and stole her quill, if only to make her stop writing when he spoke. "Oh, you did," he assured her. "You agreed to go out with a true genius, me."

She laughed then, and James couldn't help but join her. He loved making her laugh.

"That all?" she asked, a look of mock disappointment on her face.

James took her hand and kissed her fingers lightly. "For today."

At that, Lily chose to look back down at her parchment. She was teasing him, James could see that clearly. She knew his goal was to make her laugh, and she was going to make it difficult. She loved making things difficult for him nearly as much as she loved teasing him, and a chance to combine the two would not be a chance she would pass up.

"Admit it," James continued, striving at least for a giggle, "you love me for my brilliance."

She looked back up then, and her eyes danced with mirth. "Potter," she said, as if explaining a simple Charm, "if your level of brilliance was a gage for how much I love you, you would have to be a genius. And trust me, you're not."

And, having made that remarkable and, dare I say it, brilliant statement, she proceeded to take back her quill, pick up her parchment and proceed to walk away before he even managed to close his mouth and struggle to swallow.

"You... love me?" he managed, finding his mouth very dry all of a sudden.

She turned and, continuing to walk backwards, looked down at the floor and grinned, before meeting his eyes and flushing tomato red. She then turned back around and continued to walk away.

It took another few seconds for this elusive confirmation to process, and James was left with only one response.

"Bloody brilliant!"